Both old and young, I pray lend an ear
To a lovesick maiden in deep despair,
Whose heart was light, but whose courage failed,
When her true love sailed in the Nightingale.

My parents were of high degree,
My true love not so rich as they,
So they sent a press gang which did not fail
To press my true love in the Nightingale.

As I that night on my pillow lay,
A form before me these words did say:
"Go tell your parents they may bequail [that they may quail?]
For the loss of your true love in the Nightingale.

"On the fifteenth day of December last,
The wind did blow a most fearful blast.
We lost our spars, likewise every sail.
What a dismal wreck was the Nightingale.

As I awoke in an awful fright,
It being the hour of twelve at night,
For to see his ghost standing cold and pale,
Just as he was drowned from the Nightingale,

These words he spake in lamenting cries:
"In the Bay of Biscay my body lies
To become the prey of a shark or whale,
With my drownded shipmates of the Nightingale."

Buried under my feet there's a man I did meet,
Tally roo ti-die roo aye-ay
He sullied my name so I put him to sleep
Tally roo ti-die roo-die-day

Buried under the hill is a fella I killed,
Tally roo ti-die roo aye-ay
I opened his throat for he looked at me ill
Tally roo ti-die roo-die-day

Hidden under my bed there's a woman I wed
Tally roo ti-die roo aye-ay
She was too hard to please, harder still now she's dead
Tally roo ti-die roo-die-day

Deep down under the sea, a crew of twenty three
Tally roo ti-die roo aye-ay
Those that see them now know from my banners to flee
Tally roo ti-die roo-die-day

So tell all who await that our temper is great
Tally roo ti-die roo aye-ay
Those who don't heed the word cast their hand to the fates
Tally roo ti-die roo-die-day

In Canso Strait our vessel lay:
We just arrived in from the Bay.
Our vessel built both stout and strong
To Gloucester she does belong.

We were homeward bound and ready for sea
When our drunken captain got on a spree.
He came on board and to us did say:
"Get your anchor, lads, and fill her away."

We filled her away at his command.
With all sails set we left the land,
Leaviny Sand Point all on our lee
As we sailed into a heavy sea.

The night came on and dark clouds lower;
The wind, did howl and breakers roar.
An angry squall and the angry sky
It put her down at half-mast high.

We kindly asked him to shorten sail
Or we'd all be lost in the heavy gale.
He turned and swore if the wind would blow
He'd show us how his boat could go:

"I am captain here and I will not fail
For to shoot the first man to touch a sail
Then up speaks one of our bravest men:
"There's nine of us right here at hand

"We'll reef her down and to sea we'll go,
If he interferes, lash him down below.
We'll reef her down to a steady steer
From those breaking waves as she disappears

We're heading up the Cape Shore now
As she knocks the white foam from her bow.
Ouu jib-sheet tore, in the wind it flew;
We hauled it down and bent our new.

We were homeward bound with great success
Like some lonely seagull seeking rest.
When I get home no more I'll sail
With a drunken captain in a heavy gale.